Privacy
This privacy policy relaties to the collection, use, storage,
quality and disclosure of your personal information.
At Wise Earth we understand your personal information is
important and should be protected. In line with national privacy
principles, this policy outlines the type of information we collect
from you when you use our services and visit our websites; how we
may use this personal information; whether we disclose it to anyone
else; and the choices you have in regard to our accessing and
correcting this information.
According to the Privacy Act 1988, privacy refers to personal
information that identifies you or could identify you. Examples
include your name or address, bank account details, photos, videos,
medical records, proof of land ownership and content about what you
like, your opinions and where you work - basically, any information
that reasonably identifies you.
This policy applies only to Wise Earth Pty Ltd and its trading
entities. For the purpose of this document, we have used the
trading name Wise Earth.
Wise Earth is committed to and adheres to the National Privacy
Principles (NPPs) of the Privacy Act 1988 and guidelines as
endorsed by the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner. These
principles are designed to protect all personal information
collected from our clients.
The ten sections in this policy adhere to the ten NPPs as per
the Act. These are:
- Collection
- Use and Disclosure
- Data Quality
- Data Security
- Openness
- Access and Correction
- Identifiers
- Anonymity
- Transborder Data Flows; and
- Sensitive Information
1. Collection: How we Collect your Information and
what Type of Information we Collect
As part of the services Wise Earth delivers, we collect and
retain information about you.
We shall inform you of what personal and professional
information we shall collect from you and why.
We need to collect a certain amount of information from you to
ensure we properly undertake the job, project or joint venture you
require us to do.
This collection of information may take place when you meet our
staff and associates, speak with them over the phone or contact
them via the internet.
We do not collect information about you that is not directly
related to the services we provide - unless you specifically
request that we store this information.
We only collect personal information by using lawful and fair
means.
We do not collect information about you in an unreasonably
intrusive manner.
If we receive information about you from another person or
organisation, we shall take all reasonable steps to inform you of
how we received this information.
We are aware your personal details can change. We, therefore,
take reasonable steps to keep the personal information we hold
about you current. When making changes we shall endeavour to amend
our records, both hard and electronic files.
2. Use and Disclosure:
How we use your Information
At Wise Earth we are committed to keeping and treating all
information as confidential.
The only people who have access to your records include your
worker at Wise Earth, director of Wise Earth and the company
accountant.
Every member of staff at Wise Earth is bound by an oath of
confidentiality to ensure a high level of care is retained with
your private information.
We only collect information that is necessary and pertinent to
your job.
At no time do we use your information for a secondary purpose
that is unrelated to the main purpose of why we have collected
information from you and about you.
Should a time arise when we may want to contact you in future
for a purpose other than the primary purpose yet for a reason
related to the primary purpose, we shall adhere to professional and
ethical protocol. For example, we may seek feedback from you in
regard to our service delivery and standards.
In line with requirements set out in the Privacy Act we are
aware that at any time you may request we delete your details from
our system following any direct marketing campaigns or other
efforts.
If a situation arises where the release of information about you
has been requested by a third party, we shall contact you before we
release anything.
We do not disclose personal information that you may give us,
such as your name, address, email address or telephone number, to
any organisation or person outside Wise Earth unless you have
authorised us to do so.
Under no circumstances will Wise Earth sell or receive payment
for licensing or disclosing your personal information.
Whenever it appears that we might need to breach
confidentiality, we follow a set procedure to ensure our architects
act with due care and responsibility. Where needed, a special
review committee is set up to consider all aspects of the
situations before formal action is taken. As deemed appropriate,
you will be advised of our concerns and, in most cases, be told of
our decision/s in advance.
There may be times when Wise Earth is legally bound to disclose
personal information to appropriate authorities. In these
instances, every effort will be made to advise you before
information is released. You have a right to know when we may
choose or be compelled to disclose personal information about you.
The situation is not simple and the limits of confidentiality are
complex; nonetheless, if you have any concerns after reading this
policy, please ask your architect to clarify it for you.
In cases where we have been summonsed to give evidence in Court,
we shall use what protections there are in law to limit what is
attested to. In other instances, Wise Earth may be able to provide
a copy of your report or extracts to you for use in a court of law,
but this could entail a cost.
3. Data Quality: Quality of your
Information
Wise Earth is committed to providing quality data.
We provide professional quality services to clients and store
information and data in a safe and proper location. This includes
the documentation of quality data and information.
As part of this commitment to you, we take reasonable steps to
ensure the personal information we collect about you and from you
is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
4. Data Security: Security of your
Personal Information
At Wise Earth we go to considerable lengths to ensure your
records are secure.
These may be agreements, contracts, business briefs, joint
venture proposals, notes, letters, emails and other documents you
sent us.
We have systems to protect your information and only authorised
persons have access to your files and drawings.
We go to great lengths to ensure records are kept in a secure
manner and available only to those who are authorised to access
them.
We understand it is important to keep your personal information
safe and secure from unauthorised access, modification or
disclosure and also against misuse and loss. The steps we take are
proportionate to the sensitivity of the information we hold.
Methods include checking that all personal information has been
removed from computers before we sell them, installing firewalls,
cookie removers and anti-virus scanners on work IT systems, keeping
hard copy files in properly secured cabinets, training staff in
privacy procedures and allowing file access to staff on a 'need to
know' basis only.
We regularly monitor our information handling practices to
ensure they are secure.
We take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify
personal information when it is no longer needed for the purpose
for which the information was collected.
While every effort is taken to ensure our website remains
secure, be aware there may be interactive features on the website
to which you may contribute. When interacting with us online, we
suggest you use your discretion and exercise caution when providing
personal information. Note that whenever you post personal
information in publicly accessible places, such as in forums or
blog sites, this information becomes available to anyone with
access to the internet. This information can be collected and used
by others. If you post personal information online that is
accessible to the public, you may receive unsolicited messages from
other parties in return. We recommend you refrain from posting
information you do not want seen in public areas. For example, when
participating in a forum or chat room, your name will appear. We
recommend when registering online and using our website/s you do
not use your real name, but a pen name or pseudonym. You must not
intentionally use the name of another living person. Ultimately,
you are responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your passwords
and/or any personal information. Be responsible whenever you are
online. Your IP address is also recorded when uploading messages to
most websites.
5. Openness:: Open,
Honest and Transparent Communications and Transactions
At Wise Earth we are committed to remaining open, honest and
transparent in all transactions and communications.
At the commencement of a job with us your worker or Wise Earth
associate will explain our privacy commitments and exclusions to
you.
It is important to us that you are aware of your right to
privacy.
As per Commonwealth legislation we are required to express and
document our information collection procedures. This document
complies with necessary legislation.
We take reasonable steps to inform you of the type and sort of
personal information we store about you, the purpose for which we
collect, use and store this information and to whom we disclose
it.
At times we may decide or be compelled to release your personal
information. Some of these instances are when we are compelled by
law due to a legal dispute. However, at all times we shall inform
you as practically and as soon as possible of a request for
information about you from an external source.
Everything we learn about you will be kept confidential, but
only within the limits of professional practice and legal
requirements.
After five years we cull records that are no longer required
unless you have specifically requested we retain information about
you or relating to you, such as a job agreement. This elimination
process includes shredding and pulping hard copy documents and
securely deleting electronic records and files from our computer
systems to ensure it cannot be retrieved. At all times Wise Earth
shall endeavour to ensure digital copies are completely
destroyed.
6. Access and Correction:
Accessing and Correcting your Information
You may request access to any personal information we hold about
you. This requirement is in line with the National Privacy
Principles.
You have the right to check the records we hold on you.
If you wish to check your records, please contact Wise Earth'
privacy officer.
We will need to identify you and to check whether the
information is available separately or in a combined way with
another party (e.g., records for more than one member of a family /
government department/business associate). We need to ensure any
other party has given consent and they have been properly
identified before we release information to you. An example could
comprise a conflict with a local council or business partner. Where
the other party refuses to have information about them released to
you we may need to carefully extract just those parts of the record
that refer solely to you. Therefore, you can only see what other
people have said about you on your file if they have been properly
identified and given their consent in writing. Otherwise, you will
only be able to see information about you.
We are aware we have a duty to provide you with access to your
personal information.
At all times we shall remain as open as possible and provide you
with access to your personal information.
If you believe information we have is incorrect we shall amend
it if we consider it appropriate or we may simply note your concern
and provide you with a reason why we consider that the record
should not be altered. We will also note on the record your
objection and what you consider is the correct record.
We are mindful there are some limitations under the Freedom of
Information Act 1988 (Cth) which provides some grounds for denying
access.
We shall try to meet your request within a reasonable period of
time. We may need up to 14 days to prepare the material and there
may be a charge for the service, but it will not be
excessive.
In general, detailed client records are kept for five years and
then destroyed. Records limited to name, contact details and
services utilised including dates of contact may be kept longer.
Some important records and documents may be held indefinitely
(e.g., business contracts and drawings of heritage listed
buildings). Please understand you cannot have your file, but
you can have access to it and can make copies.
7. Identifiers
Wise Earth adheres to requirements in regard to identifies as set
out in the Privacy Act.
8. Anonymity
Anonymity as per the Privacy Act is understood by Wise Earth.
Wherever it is lawful and practicable, individuals have the
option of not identifying themselves when entering into
transactions with Wise Earth.
Individuals must; however, understand that the very nature of
most transactions with Wise Earth entails a need to release their
personal details (e.g., contact and business name).
9. Transborder Data Flows:
Transfer of Personal Information Overseas
Wise Earth will only transfer personal information about you to
someone else in a foreign country if:
- You requested and consented to the transfer.
- The recipient of the information is subject to a law, binding
scheme or contract which effectively upholds principles for fair
handling of the information that are substantially similar to the
National Privacy Principles.
- The transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract
between the individual and the organisation, or for the
implementation of pre-contractual measures taken in response to the
individual's request.
- The transfer is necessary for the conclusion or performance of
a contract concluded in the interest of the individual between the
organisation and a third party.
- All of the following apply:
(a) the transfer is for the benefit of the
individual;
(b) it is impracticable to obtain the consent of the
individual to that transfer;
(c) if it were practicable to obtain such
consent, the individual would be likely to give it; or
- We shall take reasonable steps to ensure the information
transferred will not be held, used or disclosed by the recipient of
the information in a manner that is inconsistent with the National
Privacy Principles.
10. Sensitive Information
The collection of sensitive information may take place at Wise
Earth.
- We shall only collect sensitive information about you if you
have consented; or the collection is required by law; or the
collection is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent
threat to the life or health of any individual.
- We may also collect sensitive information about you for the
establishment, exercise or defence of a legal or equitable
claim.
Further Information
If you would like more information about your privacy and access
to it, please ask your Wise Earth' worker or associate.
If you would like more information on the Privacy Act in
Australia, the following websites are useful:
Complaints
If you feel aggrieved by anything Wise Earth has done in
relation to your privacy place your concerns in writing and send
your letter marked 'private and confidential' to:
Mr Garry Baverstock
Director
Wise Earth
PO Box 6113
Swanbourne WA 6010
If you are still dissatisfied after you receive our reply you may
appeal by writing to the:
Privacy Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 1042
Hotline: 1300 363 992
Tel: 02-9284 9800
Fax: 02-9284 9666
Email: privacy@privacy.gov.au